Driving Food System Transformation in South Africa via Agritourism Markets

Please register here for the Dialogue: https://zoom.us/meeting/register/tJ0tfumorjMpHdOJOeW7U1jLwu909LcdgWFa

Rationale: Cuisine is widely recognised as a key ingredient in its worldwide attractiveness. This cultural asset can play a key role within South Africa’s tourism sector strategy while being a catalyst for promoting initiatives and practices crucial for sustainable food and agriculture development.

Value Proposition: The Agritourism market (driven largely by culinary tourism) is a dynamic growth sub-sector that can contribute to transforming Sub-Saharan Africa food systems on all three dimensions/measures of food system sustainability – economic, social, and environmental through the following pathways:

• Promoting relevant and innovative agriculture and tourism related enterprises (at the national and regional levels)
• Creating on- and off-farm jobs along the higher end of value chains, particularly in the services sector and for the youth and women
• Increasing local production and marketing of diverse and nutritious food crops/products
• Reshaping public sector policies and messaging on food safety/hygiene and nutritious food consumption
• Engendering conducive policy and business ecosystems
• Promoting regenerative agricultural practices and environmental conservation

Objectives: The dialogue will present practical case studies of agritourism activities to:

• Increase awareness and generate discussion among stakeholders on key market opportunities in the agritourism sub-sector to support all dimensions of food systems sustainability including food security & nutrition, sustainable job creation, and environmental conservation.
• Identify key policy and program interventions to support maximising agritourism market opportunities for transforming South Africa’s food system.
• Generate interest in establishing an informal AgriTourism Food Systems network for continued dialogue and action beyond the Summit.